Sanitary fluid receptacle



July 12, 1966 R. 1.. VOLLE'R SANITARY FLUID RECEPTAGLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1965 VALVE ops/v 38 INVENTOR RONAL D L .VOLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 6, 1963 INVENTOR. RONALD L. VOLLER ditt'ys United States Patent 3,259,920 SANITARY FLm RECEPTACLE Ronald L. Voller, 7043 W. Monroe St., Niles 48, Ill. Filed Nov. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 321,842 18 Claims. (Cl. 4110) The present invention relates broadly to a sanitary fluid receptacle; and more particularly to a bag for receiving drainage fluids of several sorts, but being more particularly adapted to receive urine.

The bag is adapted to be mounted conveniently on a bedside, or on a chair, or the like, and is provided with a flexible supply tube. The bag can be hung upon a suitable button headed bracket and the free end of the tube connected to the patient by a catheter, or other suitable connecting device, to receive urine therethrough.

A particular advantage of this fluid receptacle is that it provides an accurate measurement at all times because the receptacle is arranged to be extended by gravity and the weight of the fluid therein plumbs same. A graduated scale is printed on at least one side of the bag and the material of which the bag is fabricated is a suitable plastic and may be transparent or translucent to give a ready indication of the volume of contents of the receptacle. The material is preferably immune to deterioration by chemical action in use, and by ordinary sterilization.

Another particular advantage of the invention is the provision of a non-collapsible air pocket to provide ullage and inhibit capillary attraction adjacent the point of influx of fluid into the receptacle, and to provide fluid surge space therein. The tube end is an entrant extension into the ullage within the bag to prevent reflux of fluid back to the patient to thereby prevent contamination of the genito-urinary tract when emptying the receptacle.

The mounting means for the receptacle is in the form of a button hole adjacent the top and center thereof. A valve permitting emptying of same is disposed adjacent a top corner of the receptacle. On an opposite lower corner there may be suitable matte surface, or the like, to afford easy grasping between the thumb and forefinger to rotate the receptacle about the button hole to empty same into another receptacle for disposal or laboratory analysis, or the like.

When the present receptacle is in use mounted on a bed, or chair, or the like, it is particularly resistant to accidental spillage upon being bumped. The air pocket is located above the emptying valve. The emptying valve is normally closed. A bump on the bag is absorbed as it swings on its pivot mount and the liquid moves against the Walls of the bag to dissipate energy frictioually. Because the walls of the bottom portion of the bag tend to remain in contact with each other, a severe bump is readily dissipated with very little rise in elevation of the fluid. Even if a substantial rise occurs, the surface of the liquid tends to move laterally in the bag toward the ullage beneath the inlet tube and will not be spilled out of the outlet valve.

Accordingly, it is a broad object of this invention to provide an improved sanitary fluid receptacle fabricated from plastic.

A further object in keeping with the preceding object is to provide an improved sanitary fluid receptacle with means for preventing spillage or reflux of fluid during the emptying operation and accidental bumping.

It is a further object of the invention, in keeping with the first object, to display a measurement of the contents of the receptacle at all times.

A further object in keeping with the penultimate object is to provide an improved sanitary drain receptable having a normally closed, fluid opened, outlet valve.

Another object in connection with the preceding object 3,259,920 Patented July 12, 1966 is to provide a pivot which the receptacle can yield and be turned to permit facile emptying of the receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of manufacture of a sanitary fluid receptacle.

A further object in connection with the next preceding object is to provide a heat sealed sanitary inlet for the fluid receptacle.

A further object in connection with the two preceding objects is to provide an improved heat sealed plastic sanitary fluid receptacle formed in two heat sealing steps.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the details of fabrication and arrangement of component portions of the fluid receptacle, and will either be obvious or pointed out in the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the receptacle shown mounted upon a hospital bed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the receptacle illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the receptacle in emptying position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view of a punched blank of plastic prior to heat sealing steps in the operation;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the heat sealing of the supply tube to the top of the receptacle;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a portion of the dies for heat sealing the edges and a reinforcing portion of the top of the receptacle; and

FIG. 9 is a partial view of a modification similar to the upper left-hand corner of FIG. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings and first to FIG. 1, a hospital bed 10 is provided with a headboard 11, a footboard 12 and a pair of side rails, one such side rail 14 being illustrated in the drawing. An angled bracket 15 having a button head 16 is suitably secured to the side rail 14. A sanitary fluid receptacle or bag 18 has a button hole 19 at its top and center fitted over the button head 16 of the bracket 15. A flexible tube 20 is connected to the top of the bag and terminates at its other end in a catheter 22, in this example. The catheter may be inserted suitably in a patient to receive fluid such as urine. It is preferred that the tube 20 be sufficiently flexible and trained below the patient so that drainage is downward by gravity at all times into the receptacle 18.

Referring to FIG. 2, a presently preferred form of the receptacle 1% comprises a single fold of plastic; for example, polyethylene of approximately three-thousandths of an inch thick, is sealed at its sides 25, bottom 26, and top 28 to form a bag having a normally closed outlet valve 29 of the flutter valve type. A heat sealed reinforcing seam 30 extends around the button hole 19 and across the top of the bag 18. The button hole 19 further has a heat sealed strengthening seam 31. The left-hand side of the heat seal 30, together with the upper portion of the left-hand heat sealed edge 25, provides a substantially conical air pocket 32 adjacent the end of the supply tube 20.

The button hole 19 is adjacent the center at the top of the bag 18. The weight of the fluid entering the bag 18 through the tube 20 will cause the same to hang sub-' stantially perpendicular as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Indicia 34 are provided on at least one side of the bag to indicate the contents in cubic centimeters. The bag is preferably sized large enough to receive and retain substantially an eight hour production of urine from an average patient. As constructed, the flutter valve 29 stays closed to confine odors even though the bag may fill C to over 1200 cubic centimeters, in the example illustrated. As mentioned above, the pivot mounting of the bag 18 inhibits accidental spillage of the contents of the bag.

FIG. 3 shows the receptacle 18 in emptying position. A suitably stippled area 36, or the like, may be provided at the lower left corner of the bag, FIG. 2. This area can be rotated by an attendants thumb and forefinger through 90 degrees or more to the position shown in FIG. 3 to cause the contents of thereceptacle 18 to be emptied out through the flutter valve 29 into any suittable container 38. a With the receptacle 18 fabricated of thin polyethylene such as mentioned above, the fluid pressure required to open the valve 29 is less than one inch of pressure. The tube is suitably flexible so that the patient will not be disturbed by this motion and the receptacle 18 can be rotated while maintaining lateral tension on the button hole 19 on the bracket 15. As shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 15 is undercut to form an annular groove 39 adjacent the button head 16 to prevent accidental slippage of the receptacle 18 off to the bracket 15. To further facilitate retention of the receptacle on the button head 16, the seam 31 around the button hole 19 provides flexible lips on the edges of the'button hole. Accordingly, the receptacle 18 can be easily placed over the button head 16 and removed therefrom with slight force and a minimum of stretching of the plastic material.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the air pocket 32 provided by an entrant end 42 and a circumferentially extending flange 43 near the end 42 of the tube 20. Such flange 43 is readily formed in commercially available plastic tubing by a hot upsetting die having parts shaped to form the flange 43 from the end material of the tubing. The flange 43 is heat sealed by a seam 45 with the top material 46 of the bag 18 thereby forming the air pocket 32. No matter what position the bag is placed in, the pocket 32 is maintained, even though its physical proportions may differ from those illustrated. As shown in FIG. 3, which is the preferred usage of the receptacle 18, the air pocket 32 is safely spaced from the flutter valve 29 through which the fluid is emptied. The flutter valve 29 is sized with respect to the tube 20 and the pocket 32 so that even if the bag 18 be inverted sud-. denly the contents of same will discharge out of the valve 29.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the method of making the sanitary fluid receptacle will be described. A strip of heat scalable plastic 50 is shown blanked out symmetrically around a center line 51,-about' which the blank 50 is folded prior to the final step in fabrication,-to be described below. Butt-on hole portions 19a and 1% are pierced out, outlet valve portions 29a and 2% are formed in the outline, and a hole 52 is provided to receive the entrant portion 42 of the tube 20, FIG. 4. Suitable finger friction areas 36 may be heat embossed at this point in the operation, if desired. A printing operation is employed to place indicia 34 on at least one side of the bag. Other data, such as emptying instructions, not shown, may also be printed thereon as desired.

A further step in the method of fabricating the receptacle, is to insert the end 42 of the tube 20 through the hole 52 and over a cold inner die 53 until the flange 43 abuts the material 46. Heated dies 55 and 56 apply heat and pressure to form the seam 45 between the top of the material 46 and the flange 43rof the tube 20. Such cold and hot die equipment and instructions of use for such purposes are available from Vintex Sealers, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.

The final step in fabrication of the receptacle is to fold same about the center line 51 to bring all edges of the complementary halves into registry with each other and place same between hot dies 59 and 60 to form the seams 25, 26, 28, 30 and 31, FIG. 2. The dies 59 and 60 are suitably relieved in areas 61 and 62, respectively,

so as not to heat and weaken the previously sealed flange 43 and the top material 46 of the receptacle 18.

Referring to FIG. 9, a further partial step to thenext preceding step can provide further top reinforcement edges 65 and 66 for strengthening the same. Obviously, other ribs could be provided to form or reinforce the dry pocket 32, if desired, as well as other portions of the receptacle in keeping with the invention.

While I have explained in detail one presently preferred embodiment of the invention and a method for fabricating same, it will be understood that modification of the receptacle and method of fabricating and using same may occur to others skilled in the art.

and described, but by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is: 1. A sanitary fluid receptacle comprising flexible sealable material formed in complementary half portions, said half portions being sealed to each other to form a fluid a fluid outlet valve, and la fluid inlet tube secured to the top. portion of the chamber and having a portion thereof projecting into the chamber, the portion of the inlet tube projecting into the chamber being spaced from the surrounding chamber defining surfaces to form an ullage in the top portion of the fluid receiving chamber.

2. The receptacle :of claim 1, and mounting means for said receptacle positioned between said top edge portion and said top portion.

3. The receptacle of claim 2, said mounting means comprising a button hole adjacent the center of the top of said receptacle, and a button head bracket co-operable with said hole.

4. The receptacle of claim 1, said inlet tube having an annular flange spaced from said outlet lip, said flange being sealed to said material.

5. The receptacle of claim 1, said half portions being sealed between saidtop edge portion and said top portion to define at least a portion of the spacing of said inlet lip and said material.

6. The receptacle of claim 3, said button hole .com-

prising a hole in each half portion sealed together adjacentt-he edges thereof.

7. The receptacle of claim 6, said buttonhole edges not being sealed and being flexible.

8. The receptacle of claim 2, said material being transparent, and graduated indicia on at least the bottom portion of said receptacle to indicate the quantity of fluid tions, said half portions being folded upon each other about a medial interconnecting portion and placing the inner surfaces in opposed relationship, said half portions being sealed to each other adjacent the edges thereof to form fluid-tight top,'bottom and side portions, said half portions being provided with an opening adjacent said top portion of the fluid receptacle along one of said side portions and forming a fluid outlet valve, and a flexible fluid inlet tube secured to said top portion adjacent the other of said sides and in fluid-tight relation therewith, the inlet tube having an outlet portion projecting through said top portion and spaced from the inner surfaces defining the top portion of the receptacle to provide an ullage adjacent said topportion.

Accordingly, I wish not to, be limited in my invention only to the specific receptacle and method of making same shown 12. The receptacle of claim 11, and mounting means for said receptacle positioned between said top edge portion and said top portion.

13. The receptacle of claim 11, said tube being secured in said interconnecting portion.

14. The receptacle of claim 13, said inlet tube having an annular flange spaced from said outlet lip, said flange being sealed to said material.

15. The receptacle of claim 11, said material being transparent, and graduated indicia on at least the bottom portion of said receptacle to indicate the quantity of fluid therein.

16. A sanitary fluid receptacle comprising a liquid receiving flexible bag formed from a scalable material, the bag having top, bottom and side portions, an opening being provided in a side portion of the bag and adjacent flie top portion thereof, the opening in the side portion of the bag forming a fluid outlet valve for the receptacle, and a fluid inlet tube connected to the top portion of the bag, the fluid inlet tube having a portion projecting into the bag and being spaced from the surrounding inner surfaces thereof to provide an 'ullage in the top por- -tion of the fluid receptacle.

17. An article as set forth in claim 16, said outlet means being normally closed and opened only during emptying of the liquid from said bag.

18. An article as set forth in claim 16, said inlet and outlet means being spaced on opposite sides of said mounting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,798,768 3/1931 Vance 248-304 2,900,979 8/1959 Bishop 128283 3,001,565 9/1961 Beach l501 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Examiner.

20 H. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SANITARY FLUID RECEPTACLE COMPRISING FLEXIBLE SEALABLE MATERIAL FORMED IN COMPLEMENTARY HALF PORTIONS, SAID HALF PORTIONS BEING SEALED TO EACH OTHER TO FORM A FLUID RECEIVING CHAMBER HAVING TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE PORTIONS, SAID CHAMBER HAVING AN OPENING ADJACENT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF ON ONE OF THE SIDES OF THE CHAMBER FORMING A FLUID OUTLET VALVE, AND A FLUID INLET TUBE SECURED TO THE TOP PORTION OF THE CHAMBER AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF PROJECTING INTO THE CHAMBER, THE PORTION OF THE INLET TUBE PROJECTING INTO THE CHAMBER BEING SPACED FROM THE SURROUNDING CHAMBER DEFINING SURFACES TO FORM AN ULLAGE IN THE TOP PORTION OF THE FLUID RECEIVING CHAMBER. 